1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a movable connector which is movably mounted on a mounting member so as to correct a misregistration thereof with a mating connector when the two connectors are fitted together.
2. Related Art
Various accessories mounted on vehicles require electric power. For example, in the mounting of a cabin lamp, as shown in FIG. 12, a mounting construction is used in which a vehicle body-side connector 3, having a wire 1 connected thereto, is mounted on a mounting member (roof bow) 5. A lamp-side connector 7 for engaging with the vehicle body-side connector 3 is mounted on the lamp housing 9. Electrical connection is completed simultaneously with the mounting of the lamp housing 9. In such a mounting construction, in order to correct for relative misregistration between the two connectors 3 and 7, the vehicle body-side connector 3 needs to be fitted relative to the lamp-side connector 7 while moving the vehicle body-side connector 3 in accordance with the position of the lamp-side connector 7 when the lamp 9 is to be mounted.
Therefore, there has been proposed a so-called "movable connector" which is movable so as to correct a misregistration developing when mounting the lamp. FIG. 13 is a side-elevational view of such a conventional movable connector. In this movable connector 11, elastic retaining piece portions 15 are formed on a rear surface of a connector housing facing away from a fitting open portion 13, and retaining projections 15a of these elastic retaining piece portions 15 are retainingly engaged with a peripheral edge portion of a mounting hole 17, thereby retaining the movable connector 11 on a roof bow 5.
This movable connector 11 is thus retained relative to the mounting hole 17 through the elastic retaining piece portions 15. Therefore the movable connector is allowed to slightly move because of elastic deformation of the elastic retaining piece portions 15, thereby correcting for misregistration thereof with a mating connector (not shown).
In the conventional movable connector 11, however, the elastic retaining piece portions 15, are projected from the back of the connector housing. Therefore, the movable connector 11 projects from the mounting surface 5a of the roof bow 5 by an amount corresponding to the overall length of the connector housing. Therefore, a large reception space needs to be provided between the mounting surface 5a and an interior material (ceiling plate) 19.
As noted above, the conventional movable connector 11 can be moved only by elastic deformation of the elastic retaining piece portions 15. Therefore the direction of movement (indicated by arrow X) is linear in the direction perpendicular to the axis c of insertion of the elastic retaining piece portions 15. According to such construction, the connector can not be moved in other directions such as a rotation direction. Therefore, there are occasions when misregistration can not be satisfactorily corrected.
Furthermore, in the conventional movable connector 11, the rear surface of the connector housing is held against the mounting surface 5a, and therefore the movable connector can not be moved in a connector-fitting direction (that is, a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface 5a). Consequently, when an excessive insertion force is applied to the movable connector 11, there is a possibility that the connector housing and other portions will be damaged.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a movable connector in which the distance between the movable connector-mounting surface and a fitting open surface is reduced. Additional objects of the invention are that the connector can be rotated or turned in a plane parallel to the mounting surface, and also can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface so that an excessive load, acting in a connector-fitting direction and a connector-disconnecting direction, can be relieved, thereby enhancing a misregistration-correcting function and also preventing damage to the connector.